


Viennese Waltz

by Talonted



Series: Matters of the Heart [3]
Category: Tales of Berseria
Genre: Comedy, F/F, Fluff, Romance, Tales of Femslash Week 2019, University AU, talesfemslashweek2019, thirsty rambling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 02:15:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20827727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talonted/pseuds/Talonted
Summary: If she were music, Eleanor would be a beautiful waltz playing in 3/4 time....Not that Velvet fully understands this “music” nonsense anyway.She’s really just overthinking everything. Again.(Day 3: Elegance.)





	Viennese Waltz

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [the sun crests over mountains and valleys pure and white](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15785892) by [Grand_Phoenix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grand_Phoenix/pseuds/Grand_Phoenix). 

> Funnily enough, this one’s inspired by My Hero Academia and a fanfic idea I had for MomoJirou. On the other hand, I was also inspired by [Grand_Phoenix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grand_Phoenix)’s Veleanor modern AU fics. Read them if you haven’t yet! I definitely tried to take on some qualities of their writing style, hehe. (Grand_Phoenix, if you see this, _pleasepleaseplease_ write the next AU installment if it wasn’t already on your to-do list. :D)
> 
> Parallel but unrelated recommendation: Though I started reading it after this fanfic idea came to mind, I absolutely love the yuri manga, “Whispering You a Love Song.” Basically, the cool guitar-playing senpai falls in love after she completely misunderstands a confession and vows to make her fall in love too. While editing this piece, that manga kept reminding me that it existed. Definitely read it if you’re down for a high school romance with a music-y backdrop!
> 
> Thanks for reading! :D

Eleanor plays a variety of instruments with as much skill and passion as Velvet cooks.

(Which says a lot. Velvet refuses to ever let her roommate cook dinner, and she always goes to the weekly farmers market to pick up fresh local ingredients. She tosses together new recipes faster than a mainstream pop singer churns out songs, and Eleanor is all too happy to let Velvet wreak havoc upon their kitchen.)

Whether she's keeping the beat and hyping up crowds on a drum kit or plucking strings on her guitar and singing in a passionate, well-trained tone, Eleanor hypnotizes her audience. She’s like an annoying witch or seductive siren, but considerably less malevolent.

However, Eleanor's specialty has always been the violin.

(She could be playing a wild violin solo for some pop-punk band, and no one would find it weird. Hell, she’d be the _star_. Velvet would pay any amount of money to see that happen. She’d crowdsurf to the stage, grab Eleanor to dip her low to the ground, and capture those pretty pink lips in a breathtaking kiss. Then get thrown out by security. But, _Empyreans, _it’d be so _worth_.)

Velvet has absolutely no doubt in her mind that Eleanor is the most talented person at their university. She’s not even sure how Eleanor finds the time to study and keep her grades near-perfect.

Somehow, she juggles life between the GRE studying, her _actual_ major classes in business and tech management, and all that time she spends hanging out with Velvet and their friends, practicing basically twenty-something instruments, or watching random cartoons (_adult_ cartoons and _mature_ anime! Eleanor would argue, while Velvet rolls her eyes and responds that they’re still cartoons).

Although, she does often wonder why she hadn't gone to one of those expensive private schools where musicians like her thrive. Music’s her passion, not business, right? She’d fit in with those people, the ones who blow panels away with perfect ballads (or whatever they’re called) and playing... the, uh, bigger violin-looking instrument or the even tinier violin-looking instrument (or wait, is the violin smaller?).

(Eleanor spent an entire afternoon explaining the similarities and differences of the violin family. The redhead’s bright green eyes lit up the moment Velvet first asked about the violin, and, for the tone-deaf individual at least, the conversation took a turn for the confusing. Velvet understood a solid 1% of the information, if she’s being generous. She’s not even sure where a damn _fiddle_ fits into this mess.)

Velvet smiles. Eleanor’s _here_ though. Their friendship wouldn’t have lasted past high school if she chose to attend a fancy-schmance private uni. And she figures it’s even better that they decided to be roommates for the past three years.

(_Just_ roommates, _just_ friends. Sure, _more_ than friends sounds like a wonderful idea, but with how pretty and sweet and smart and awesome and all-around talented she is, Velvet can’t help but feel a little… _undeserving_ of someone like her.

What’s she got to offer? A mean quiche, a couple snarky comments, and a background of knocking people out. Yeah, okay, that’s cool or whatever, but she doesn’t exactly stack up to everything Eleanor’s got.

So all she can do is wait, watch, and pine after Eleanor silently. And she’s okay with that; together, they’re a powerful pair of friends. Why ruin a good thing?)

“What’s got you thinking so hard?”

The redhead’s gentle voice breaks Velvet out of her reverie.

Velvet glances up from the oh-so-fascinating tiled pattern of her black and red bedsheets to find Eleanor staring at her with a faint smile. Her light blue collared shirt is tucked into her tight-fitting black jeans, and Velvet almost can’t wrench her eyes away from her nicely toned legs (_So preppy_, Velvet would say with a snort while Eleanor rolls her eyes at the black-haired woman’s preference for trashy rock band shirts and flannels).

Not that looking at her arms does her any good - with all her strumming and drumming and just good ol’ rocking out, Eleanor packs a good bit of lean muscle. Luckily, her white and blue electric guitar covers the rest of her cute hips and waist, though the strap sits right in between her very much distracting breasts.

(Luckily? _Really_?)

Velvet’s eyebrows furrow with the thought, and she shakes her head hard to dispel the rest of her (_sinful_, a voice chastises her) thoughts.

(She’s not _usually_ this thirsty, or so she likes to tell herself.

It’s probably the heat wave. Surely there’s a better reason for Velvet’s face to burn bright red around Eleanor than hopeless pining.)

Eleanor had been focusing on perfecting an old song she learned on violin (some waltz if Velvet remembers correctly, and she doesn’t). Her fingers - certainly calloused and rough from practicing often, which most people wouldn’t expect for someone so prim and proper - move with practiced precision.

(Velvet knows though - of course she knows those hands as well as her own. Just, uh, not how they _feel_. She spends a lot of time _staring_ at Eleanor’s lithe and magical hands. One could say she’s pretty good with them.)

But not once does Eleanor look down at the guitar. Her eyes stay locked on Velvet’s.

“Vel?”

(_Huh_.)

“Just thinking,” Velvet says with a shrug.

“Oh? About what?” Eleanor presses, twisting a knob at the head of her guitar.

(It’s funny - Eleanor really likes giving Velvet private shows.)

“You,” she says without a second thought.

(Velvet mentally facepalms, realizing that’s not what she meant.

_Both_ of those things. _Not_ what she meant.)

Her fingers freeze mid-twist. “Oh,” Eleanor says again, her voice softer and weak. She blinks a few times, blood rushing to her cheeks. “Like what?”

“Uhh…”

(Good going, stabbing herself in the foot like that.)

“Stuff like... I’m surprised you went to this uni. And that I think it’s cool that you're good at music,” Velvet says, chuckling. She breathes out sharply, glad to have finally recovered the situation. “And I’m happy you’re always my roommate so we can… you know, hang out.”

“Wow… Velvet Crowe, did you just openly express your _thoughts and feelings _to me?” she says, feigning shock as she presses the back of her hand against her forehead. “I think I’m having a stroke. What year are we in?”

“Oh, _shut it_, Hume,” Velvet replies through gritted teeth as she averts her gaze. She tries her best to sound annoyed (and fails, horribly). “You _asked_.”

“You know I’m just teasing,” Eleanor says, giggling. She resumes tuning her guitar, and Velvet notes she’s never once seen Eleanor pull out an electric one or any other kind of assistive tools. “I’m happy you’re happy.”

After another test strum, she smiles again at Velvet. That bashful expression leaves Velvet’s throat dry and chest aching with both nervousness and need as her face flushes. She wants so badly to hold her, to kiss her, to never let her go.

But she mentally slams hard on the breaks; Rokurou and Magilou, her stupid nosy coworkers and even stupider nosier friends, would never let her live this little “crush” down if they ever found out. And they _would _find out if _Eleanor_ found out, with those pretty pink lips that could sink ships at a moments’ notice. (Eizen would cut in, saying that lips can’t _literally_ sink ships, but what does he know? He hasn’t aggressively kissed a ship, now has he?!)

Still, it’s fine. She knows that on the outside, her face is calm and composed, no matter how hard she’s gripping the bed sheets.

“Well then… Shall I get started?”

“Yeah.” Velvet shifts on her bed, crossing her legs at the ankles. “What are you gonna play?”

“Umm… I was watching an anime and -”

“Of _course_ you were_._”

“Hey!” She swears she hears Eleanor grumble _Baka_ under her breath (she can already see the subtitles: T/L note - _baka_ means idiot). “Anyway… I haven’t figured out the lyrics yet, but, umm…”

“That’s fine. I’d love to hear you play the tune.”

“Yes!” Eleanor’s annoyed expression is quickly overtaken by one Velvet can only describe as a grinning idiot (or_ baka_, so to speak). “Yes, of course!”

Velvet watches intensely, only half paying attention to her song, the style leaning more on the side of alternative rock. The words are barely there; Eleanor hums the melody, with a random line about love and the like every few bars.

But, really, Velvet’s focus is completely devoted to staring down the beautiful redhead.

Eleanor enraptures her like a sailor tempted by the siren’s song. The musician’s head sways back and forth to her own music, and a huge grin strains her cheeks as she sings along to the tune. Her hair falls over her eyes, and her fingers glide effortlessly across the frets.

If she were music, Eleanor would be a waltz.

One of those fancy, elegant, and incredibly long ones, where everyone stares in awe and then erupts into a standing ovation at the end. That’s a genre that usually bores Velvet, but, with the right song, her attention and heart could be stolen, and she’d be hooked on the whole shebang from then on. Give her those stupid waltzes, the lame four-hour operas, and the unending symphonies - one taste of heaven, and she’ll be obsessed.

And if _she _were music, Velvet would be an angst-filled pop-punk song, hellbent on expressing edge and defiance, but really just proclaiming love in a weird, roundabout way, complete with overly complex titles that have no bearing whatsoever on the lyrics. Those are the songs that would take Eleanor a few tries to enjoy, but somehow, Velvet knows she’s down for anything.

(Gah… she’s not even entirely sure if the metaphor constructed in her head makes any sense at all. That measly 1% of music knowledge isn’t helping right now.)

Eleanor’s voice slows, trailing off alongside the last guitar notes.

“What inspired all that?” Velvet asks as she claps (_nonchalantly_, she adds).

“Well, I’ve been practicing violin a little too much,” Eleanor sighs. “I wanted to play something else, but that waltz was _stuck_ in my head while I was writing another song, so I wasn’t getting _anywhere_ with the new guitar track!” Velvet nods in an attempt to follow her rambling as Eleanor gesticulates all over the place. “Erm… And, as I said, I ended up binge-watching this music anime. Which, of course, was great! But now I think I doubly screwed myself over because I still didn’t perfect that waltz the way I wanted to…”

Velvet blinks. “...Yeah, okay.”

“Do you even _know_ what I’m talking about?” Eleanor asks, laughing a little behind her hand.

“Viennese waltz,” Velvet responds dryly. After a few seconds of watching Eleanor’s face contort from confusion to amusement to defeat and right back to completely reeling, Velvet adds, “...I’m wrong, aren’t I?”

“A Viennese waltz is a ballroom _dance_, Velvet,” she says, chuckling. She tugs the guitar off and places it on her stand, and Velvet can’t help but fall in love again as Eleanor shakes her head around to get her hair out of her eyes. “I was practicing Johannes Brahms’ waltz for violin. It’s a classic song for violinists and the accompanying pianist to perfect.”

“Yeah. Same thing. I said _waltz_, didn’t I?”

“I suppose that _is_ about as much as I can expect you to know,” Eleanor says with a sweet laugh, plopping down next to Velvet. She sighs again, leaning her head against Velvet’s shoulder. “You’re ridiculous.”

(_You’re always on my mind._)

“Thanks. You’re cool too,” Velvet shoots back without missing a beat, though her heart thrums against her throat. Her arm wraps hesitantly around the musician’s shoulders but her grip grows tighter and more confident with Eleanor’s lack of protest.

“I won’t bite, Vel,” Eleanor murmurs, her eyes lazily glancing up at the raven-haired woman.

Velvet hums. “Mm. Maybe _I_ will.”

(_I’d absolutely devour you if you let me._)

Eleanor snorts, the sound somehow dignified coming from her.

Her fingers start running through the redhead’s messy hair, releasing her from her pigtail prison. She strokes through the beautiful soft locks, smiling as Eleanor groans in approval. “You’re so pretty,” she says without thinking.

(_Empyreans_, why.)

Eleanor nearly snaps out of her drift into slumber, but she can barely lift her head. “Wow, _two_ touchy-feely lines in one day? I’m really getting to you, aren’t I?”

“...Hrmph.” Velvet untangles her hand from the redhead’s hair, dropping it to the dip of her waist. She squeezes gently, causing Eleanor to squeak out a soft _Oh!_ (Yeah, that one _definitely_ woke her up.) “You could say that.”

“Well, _I_ think it’s cute.” Eleanor sits up a little and gently presses her lips to Velvet’s, sending her blood pumping into overdrive. No sparks, no fireworks, nothing crazy - just a sweet, chaste kiss. Somehow, it drives Velvet a thousand times crazier than some lust-addled hormone-induced one.

(Eleanor’s lips are a goddamn _cannon_. And she’s missing _every single shot _on this drifting ship.)

“I think _you’re_ cute,” she hums as she pulls back, laughing. She then takes her place leaning against the taller woman again, leaving Velvet reeling. Her heart pounds like thunder against her chest, as though bass were thumping through her entire body at an EDM show.

(Her brain slows down.

Two plus two equals fish.

Nothing important rhymes with orange.

Eleanor’s _incredibly_ pretty, and she should really address that kiss.)

“Did you just _kiss _me?”

“Mhm,” Eleanor says with a soft giggle. “Do you have a problem with that?”

“Uh…”

“I figure you’d be okay with it,” Eleanor says, counting off her fingers, “what with all the endearing looks, and whenever you put up with my friends, and those shows you watch with me even though you hate them, and how much you compliment me, and all the times you try hard to learn a little about music because it’s _my_ passion.” She smiles up at Velvet, her sultry green-eyed stare absolutely dizzying. “Don’t think I don’t notice the little things. Because I love that _you_ notice the little things.”

“I…”

Eleanor laughs, still pressing the advantage. Only moments ago, Velvet had the upper hand. “This is rare, even for you!” she teases, snuggling even closer. “Have I really stunned you into _silence_?”

(She tries to counter with a snappy retort. Really, she tries. Her vocal cords must’ve snapped. That’s the only logical explanation, right? Where is your _voice_, Velvet Crowe?!)

Eleanor switches positions, opting to swing onto the bed fully and trap Velvet in between her knees. Velvet’s brain overloads with Eleanor pressed so firmly against her, the redhead’s hands exploring parts that no one has ever touched before. Her fingers leave a trail of fire in their wake, and Velvet starts spiraling into an abyss of desire.

The redhead nuzzles her face against Velvet’s neck, and the black-haired woman nearly lets out a needy moan when her breath brushes her skin. But she stops herself (of course) because she’s so calm and composed (of course? Maybe!) and certainly not losing her mind (nope).

“No, you…” Velvet huffs, every inch of her body still too warm for her liking. “You talk too much…” She sighs, digging her thumb into Eleanor’s hip.

“Then why don’t you shut me up?” the redhead murmurs, and Velvet can feel the vibration of her voice buzz against her throat.

“Wait, wha-” Velvet’s swiftly silenced by Eleanor’s lips on hers again, this time the kiss more forceful and passionate, so much so that Velvet falls onto her back. The redhead’s tongue prods against her mouth, and Velvet allows her in, only to be left panting for more as Eleanor quickly retreats. Every moment passes too fast for Velvet’s jelly brain to comprehend, and Eleanor’s simply grinning at the black-haired woman without a hint of embarrassment.

“See? It’s easy.”

(_She’s_ _practically saying that _I’m_ easy!_)

“You’re awfully bold today,” Velvet grumbles, tilting her head to stare at the headboard.

“You’re awfully shy today,” Eleanor counters, planting a soft kiss against Velvet’s exposed neck.

“Ah…” She conceals the moan again (_Empyreans, why?!_) with a throat clear. Yet, as soon as she looks down, Eleanor’s grin tells her that she absolutely did not “conceal” anything.

(She wasn’t even sure until today that Eleanor even reciprocated her feelings! What, has Velvet been so aloof that Eleanor decided to take matters into her own hands? Two can play this game, and Velvet doesn’t intend to lose.)

Velvet leans back onto her elbows, sitting up as much as she can with an incredibly horny woman pinning her down. “Hey, quit it.”

“Quit what?” Eleanor asks innocently, tilting her head to the side.

The raven-haired woman breathes in sharply, and she’s almost tempted to surrender now. Almost. “Quit acting so high and mighty,” Velvet says, pressing her finger to Eleanor’s forehead. “You caught me off-guard, but I won’t be so easily beat this time.”

“Oh?” Eleanor smirks, swatting Velvet’s hand away. “Why don’t you prove it?”

(And here, Velvet imagines two options:

Take the bait, push Eleanor onto her back, and fuck the living daylight out of her or choke up on the flirty words bubbling up in her throat, roll onto her front so she can hide herself in the soft, comforting pillows, and let Eleanor have her way with her.

...Both are good with her, actually.)

With another deep breath, Velvet grasps Eleanor by the hips and sits up, straightening her back so she can look down at the redhead. The musician’s arms instinctively lock around Velvet’s neck, and Velvet feels herself smirk as she stares at Eleanor’s reddening face. Her emerald eyes are wide with shock, and Velvet realizes that she’s been bluffing the whole time.

“Sure,” Velvet says. “You havin’ fun, Hume?”

“Uh...”

Smirk growing, Velvet lowers her face to Eleanor’s, hovering over her lips so closely that the redhead can feel her warm breath. Velvet places a gentle kiss against her cheek, and she trails down the soft curve of her jaw. Her fingers wander up and down the musician’s waist and hips, and she mimics the movement with her lips as she drifts across Eleanor’s throat. The redhead gasps, digging her fingers into tangled black hair.

“I get it now,” Velvet murmurs, humming against Eleanor’s throat just as the musician did to her. “You were trying to provoke me so I could switch on you.”

“No! Of course not!”

(_Heh._)

“You’re actually quite the masochist, aren’t you?”

“Wrong! Vel, please!”

“Please… what?”

Her kisses trail down toward the collar of her blue polo shirt, eliciting a satisfied groan from Eleanor, and Velvet lifts her head for a moment to unfasten all three buttons. As soon as she reveals Eleanor’s nearly flawless pale skin, Velvet peppers soft kisses from her collarbone down toward her cleavage. However, the moment she moves to explore further, Eleanor’s fingers grip hard into black locks, and she tugs Velvet away.

Velvet stares down at her chest, eyebrows furrowing at the sight of that rough, jagged scar peeking out from her shirt. The wound had since been healed over for many years now, but Velvet’s sure the emotional pain still lingers.

(She’d always known it existed but never wanted to ask how or why.)

“Don’t… don’t look at that.”

“Eleanor…” She plays with the bottom seam of Eleanor’s polo. The redhead curls her fingers lightly around Velvet’s wrist but doesn’t move to stop her.

“It’s so _ugly_,” she mumbles. Though she’s still shyly looking away, Velvet tugs the garment off and tosses it on the floor, leaving Eleanor clad in a simple white bra.

“I think it’s beautiful.” She places a gentle kiss at the top of the scar, then drags her lips down its length, pausing only to avoiding touching the clip of her bra. Eleanor gasps as Velvet reaches its end, right under her soft breasts. Her amber irises shoot up for a moment, meeting shy emerald ones. “I think _you’re _beautiful.”

Her lips trail further downward, placing hot kisses on her stomach, until she meets the cool metal of Eleanor’s belt.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Eleanor exclaims, pressing her palms hard against Velvet’s shoulders. The black-haired woman chuckles, sitting up; she supposes that finally dragged Eleanor out of their little lust bubble. “Vel, I… think we’re doing this out of order.”

“Oh? Whaddya mean?”

(Really, it’s not Velvet’s fault for being so incredibly horny after everything Eleanor’s been doing.)

“Let’s go on a date! Right now!” Eleanor says a little too loudly as she attempts to cover her chest. “Like dinner!”

Her stomach growls at the word, and Velvet sighs. Her brain’s still struggling to recover from the hectic turn the afternoon has taken, and all Eleanor wanted was to go on a _date_.

(_We’re both ridiculous. But I guess I’m okay with that._)

“What a cockblock, saying that with your shirt off,” Velvet says with a soft chuckle. While leaning over to grab the discarded shirt off the floor, she sighs again. “I’m down. But after, we’re continuing all of _this_.” She trails a finger from Eleanor’s jaw, down her neck, across her chest, and tugs on Eleanor’s belt.

At that, the redhead snatches the shirt from Velvet and quickly throws it on, not even bothering to button the collar up.

“Let’s get dinner! I am _starving,_ aren’t you?” She hops to her feet and attempts to run out the door, but Velvet catches her wrist and stands to wrap her arms around her waist. Velvet pulls her into a tight embrace, making Eleanor yelp in surprise.

“Yeah, but I already know what I want for dessert,” Velvet hums into her ear.

“Okay, okay!” Eleanor exclaims, and Velvet swears her face is reddening. “I hear you loud and clear! Dinner first, sex later!”

“I was going to say I’d like another one of your private shows…” Velvet gently rolls her hips against Eleanor and injects as much sultriness as she can into her voice. She then nips her cartilage to emphasize her point, making Eleanor yelp. “But sure. Sex for dessert sounds good too.”

With that, a switch seems to flip in Eleanor’s brain again, and she shoves Velvet onto the bed, pinning her down by the wrists. Their impromptu dinner plans are quickly forgotten as Eleanor attempts to hide her embarrassment with aggressive kisses.

(Though, Velvet doesn’t mind. She can only laugh between breaths as Eleanor strips them of their damned clothes while ranting about how incredibly selfish and unbelievable Velvet is. Their lips barely part for more than a few seconds… at least, Velvet’s sure, until things progress further, in which their mouths would be preoccupied for _other_ reasons. And, well, _great_, the thought just excites Velvet more.)

They’re in perfect sync. She may be tone deaf, but Velvet has absolutely no trouble keeping up with Eleanor’s unrelenting rhythm.

**Author's Note:**

> Velvet’s music knowledge is based on my preferences, except I like to think I’m not tone deaf. I played saxophone for ten years in symphonic band, so yeah. I still don’t understand anything related to violins, and I don’t really know what a Viennese waltz is. :D I was going to end on a vamp joke, but I didn’t, so you’re welcome.
> 
> Anyway, I loved writing confident-Eleanor and shooketh-Velvet. Makes for a fun writing test to see if I can still write them relatively in-character. (L A U G H S) I guess I really just wanted to write Eleanor top lmao.
> 
> I know I’m a rambly writer, but wow, this one went on and on. I probably should’ve just turned this into a full AU or, you know, smut. Hope you enjoyed it still! Thanks for reading!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [one night on the wild hunt](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22012132) by [Grand_Phoenix](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grand_Phoenix/pseuds/Grand_Phoenix)


End file.
